Apparatus for the production of copper anode plates

ABSTRACT

A method for the production of a large number of copper anode plates comprising using a plurality of casting wheels having filling means for a plurality of casting molds distributed around the periphery thereof, and comprising pouring dosed amounts of the melt alternately and in short intervals from a single source into at least two separately rotatable casting wheel molds in a manner such that while one casting mold is filled with melt, the other one is being turned with its associated casting wheel for orientation at a place for removal. The apparatus includes a tilting trough which is arranged between two or more casting wheels and which may be tilted to direct the casting melt into a selected one of the casting molds of the associated casting wheel. The dosed amount of melt is first weighed after it is delivered from a furnace into a dosing device which is lined with refractory material. The dosed amount is fed under pressure from the dosing device into the trough for delivery to the casting mold.

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Otto llireuz; Woiignng ll-lloeit, both of Duisburg, Germany Deming Airtiengeselllaehniit, Duisburg, Germany lFiled: Aug. 7, 1976 Appl. No: 62,0416

Inventors:

Assignee:

ll oreign Application Priority lllintn Nov. 7, 1969 Germany ..lP 19 56 076.0

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1/1912 Hooper .266/38 X Mar. 14, R972 2,670,510 3/1954 Wagneretal ..l64/337 2,882,567 4/1959 Dealtinsetal. ..164/155 Primary Examiner-Robert D. Baldwin Attorney-McGlew and Toren i 1 ABMMACT A method for the production of a large number of copper anode plates comprising using a plurality of casting wheels having filling means for a plurality of casting molds distributed around the periphery thereof, and comprising pouring dosed amounts of the melt alternately and in short intervals from a single source into at least two separately rotatable casting wheel molds in a manner such that while one casting mold is filled with melt, the other one is being turned with its as sociated casting wheel for orientation at a place for removal. The apparatus includes a tilting trough which is arranged between two or more casting wheels and which may be tilted to direct the casting melt into a selected one of the casting molds of the associated casting wheel. The dosed amount of melt is first weighed after it is delivered. from a furnace into a dosing device which is lined with refractory material. The dosed amount is fed under pressure from the dosing device into the trough for delivery to the casting mold.

e e 2 nm liigum PATENTEBMAR 14 1972 SHEET 1 BF 2 Inventors KIPEUZ WOL FG/l/VG Hdfrr PATENTEDMARMISTZ 3,648,758

sum 2 [1F 2 CON TROL PEGl/LA 700 In ventors arm M9502 W01 F 6AW6 #057? AlPlPAlliATiUS ll flilt TllillE lPlltOlDlJ'C'TlltDN Gill" 'CQlPM'Jlit AhlUlDlE PLATES SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates in general to the construction and operation of casting devices, and in particular to a new and useful method for the production of large number of copper anode plates using casting wheels having individual casting molds which are filled successively with molten copper as the casting wheels are indexed and to an improved apparatus for effecting the casting of the plates.

It is known that a large number of anode plates can be cast using casting wheels with a very large diameter because it is assumed that the output of these casting wheels meets the metallurgical requirements of casting and cooling. The path which a circumferential point covers on a casting wheel and the speed of rotation of the casting wheel is determined by the time that is required for casting, accelerating and decelerating. Movement of the casting wheel during the casting is not possible. A desirable characteristic for an anode plate which is cast is a uniform plate thickness. The inflow of copper melt and the distribution of the melt in the casting mold must therefore not be impaired by acceleration or deceleration. Because of the great weight of the casting wheels, which have a large diameter in order to obtain a large number of casting molds, considerable forces are required to accelerate or decelerate the casting wheel after a casting operation has been completed. The casting time and the acceleration and deceleration determine therefore the methods of operation of the other parts of the anode plate casting plant.

The known cycle method of casting, acceleration, deceleration, and casting is necessary in order to obtain the required number of anode plates with the above mentioned properties. But because of the requirement for uniform thickness one skilled in the art hesitates to make any changes in the practice procedure. The reason is seen in the difficulties which anode plates of irregular thickness cause. The use of the plates in electrolysis comprises a large number of anode plates which are suspended in a row in a bath. The stress conditions depend on the respective intervals of the plates so that when the thinnest plate is dissolved larger intervals are formed immediately between the individual thick plates which have not yet been dissolved. The method of electrolytic dissolution of copper anode plates must therefore be interrupted when the thinnest plate has been dissolved. The remaining thick plates are considered as residual copper which must be melted again for casting new uniform thick plates. Anode plates of irregular thickness cause therefore loss of energy which is due partly to the remelting and partly to the recasting requirement and partly to the required electric current for electrolyzing the plates. it is understandable therefore, that one skilled in the art who is engaged in the casting of anodes must try to prevent losses rather than run the risk of poorer anode plates when a greater number of plates are made. There are therefore reservations about change in the present method for producing a greater number of copper anode plates.

in accordance with the present invention, the known principals are abandoned in solving the problem by pouring alternately in short intervals specific quantities of melt from a single source and into at least two casting wheels so that one casting wheel may continue the turn as long as the operation still takes place in the other casting wheel. The principle of the invention comprises a method and apparatus for ensuring that casting can be carried out by pouring the melt material in one casting mold of one casting wheel while the other casting wheel is being moved so that the intervals of operation of the one casting wheel are used to cast in the other casting wheel. Thus any minor time loss which is still possible can only comprise providing a safety time margin for the entrance of the casting jet into the casting mold shortly after the latter has come to a standstill. it is found surprisingly that very large casting wheels were not required and that higher outputs can be achieved with smaller casting wheels. The casting operation of the invention relates particularly to casting outputs which may be expressed in tons per hour.

Another aspect of the invention comprises the controlling of the supply for dosing the melt material by weighing the total amount available for dosing and keeping constant the available amount of melt from which the partial amount has to be separated. Dosing errors can therefore: be reduced to a greater extent so that the desired exact constant amount is cast for the production of anode plates of uniform thickness. Additional advantages are obtained during the introduction of the dosed amount in short intervals if the total amount available for the dosing can be kept constant.

Because with the invention a substantial obstacle in the way of increasing output has been overcome by the use of the alternate dosing of at least two casting wheels, it is possible to also construct the remaining parts of the plant in a more favorable manner. It is possible to make the cycle periods of the casting wheels which are now much smaller than the previously required wheels longer so that the cycle periods of the separate removing devices for the solidified anode plates can also be extended if desired. The gain in time according to the principal idea of the invention is so great that the extension of the cycle period can be made. In the production of anode plates therefore, the inventive construction has the special advantage that copper which has already been cast is not displaced during the acceleration of the casting wheel by the accelerating force in the casting mold as long as the material is not solidified. Particularly high accelerations were harmful in the past and they have undesirable effects on the finished product. if the rocking of the metal melt and the casting mold can therefore be prevented this results in a true measure for the production of anode plates of uniform thickness. The cycle periods for opening the furnace, for indexing the casting wheel, and for the sequence of operations of the removing devices and for the conveyance of the anode plates can be controlled by moving the cooling wheel on the basis of the sequence of operations of the dosing device. A dosing device which works at high speed therefore contributes to the increased output of the plant.

The plant for carrying out the method is so designed that a tilting trough is arranged between two or more casting wheels which are equipped with a minimum number of casting molds. The tilting trough can be inclined toward a selected one of the casting wheels so that it is supplied with a controlled amount of melt. The dosing device with the melt contained in it can be weighed and it is connected through troughs with one or several melting furnaces. Since the space requirements for the use of small casting wheels is less, improvements may be obtained in this respect also. The minimum number of casting molds leads to a smaller casting wheel diameter and a lower structural weight. A lower weight of the revolving casting machine results in a shorter operating path because of the reduced diameter. Since the molds lie on a smaller radius the operating speed is reduced. A particularly important advantage which has already been pointed out, concerns the improved acceleration and deceleration values of the driving machines. This has a particular effect on a steady surface of the slowly solidified anode plates. it happens frequently even with the known large casting wheels, because of the high accelerations, that the casting output of the machine is limited, since a corresponding operating time of only a few seconds cannot be maintained. The driving power requirement of each small casting machine is in addition for example 5.5 kw. compared to 2] kw. in the large machines. Hence ll kw. for two small drives maybe sufficient due to the fact that the driving outputs do not increase linearly with rising weight.

in addition, since the two small drives which are necessary for rotating each casting wheel constructed in accordance with the method of the invention are not operated simultaneously only a single so-called Leonard-Ward regulation is required, by means of which the drives can be operated. Due to the smaller drives of the casting wheels, the bearings therefore may be smaller but still provide obvious advantages for a steadier run. A further advantage is that unlike the large casting wheels, two molds do not have to be filled at the same time in order to achieve the required output. The invention is such that the flow conditions of the casting jet may be simpler because only one mold is filled. If trouble occurs in the plant, it is not necessary that it be stopped completely since the plant can continue to work at half power. If the same thing occurs when using a single casting wheel the entire plant has to be stopped. The operational requirements of the device do not require additional personnel and an additional advantage exists in that both small casting wheels can be equipped with different molds.

The construction of the tilting trough for connecting the dosed quantity of melt to the individual casting molds of each casting wheel in succession is an important feature of the inventive construction. Since only small periods are required for the inclination of the trough and small forces are sufficient for reversing the flow of the melt the construction of the trough in combination with the vessel for receiving the dosed melt and weighing it is important. The dosing device is such that it may immediately register the weight of the melt and it insures a constant supply of the melt. This means that the tilting angles for the delivery of the material from the dosing vessel to the casting molds may be always constant. The kinematics of the flow process ensure constant pressures and velocities within the melt and therefore they ensure constant times during the acceleration of the dosed amount. In addition,. the paths covered by the molten materials, whether fed to one casting mold or the other, is always constant. Since different types of furnaces are used in the various plants to provide certain prerequisite material characteristics the invention also provides means of obtaining the constancy of the total amount from which the dosed amount has to be separated. The smelting furnace can comprise a hearth type furnace having a tilting drive motor which can be switched by means of a control impulse connected to the weighing measuring device. The tilting of the furnace in intervals is effected in the rythum of the melt required for the dosing device. This method permits therefore operation with a fixed cycle period with sufficient lead time permitting the same amount of melt to always arrive in the dosing device for carrying out each cycle of operation.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide an improved method for the production of plates, such as copper anode plates, using a plurality of casting wheels in a mold filling apparatus which is selectively connected to poor molten metal materials into the casting molds defined on each casting wheel and which comprises alternately pouring dosed amounts of melt material in short intervals from a single source into at least two casting wheels with one of them permitted to turn while the other is being filled with the casting material.

A further object of the invention is to provide a plant for casting plates such as copper anode plates which comprises a plurality of rotatable relatively small sized casting wheels having a plurality of casting molds therein and having openings adjacent the periphery for each mold, and including means for delivering a molten material into a vessel for continuously supplying the vessel with a doseable amount of the melt and including a delivery trough connected between the vessel and each casting wheel and which is mounted for movement to deflect the melt material from one casting wheel into the other for selectively filling the casting molds of the casting wheel.

A further object of the invention is to provide a casting apparatus which is simple in design, rugged in construction and economical to manufacture.

The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims anmated to and forming a part of this specification. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its use, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a partial top plan view of a casting plant constructed in accordance with the invention; and

FIG. 2 is a section taken along the line II-II of FIG. 1 but on a greatly enlarged scale.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings in particular, the invention embodied therein comprises an apparatus for casting copper anodeplates which comprises at least two casting wheels including a first casting wheel 1 and a second casting wheel 2 rotatably mounted at spaced locations for rotation about a vertical'axis l3, 13, respectively. In the arrangement shown, two separate tilting furnaces or hearth furnaces 3 and 4 which are adapted to contain a melt material are provided with regulator members 15 and 15 with openings 15a of controllable size which permit pouring of the melt material from the associated furnace through troughs 6 and 5, respectively. Each trough connects to a centrally arranged dosing device or vessel 8 and the vessel 8 has a discharge 8a which is oriented over a delivery trough or tiltable device 9 having a discharge end 9a oriented over the casting wheel 1 and a discharge end 9b oriented over the casting wheel 2.

Each casting wheel 1 and 2 includes a plurality of casting molds I2 which are spaced around the circumference and which include filling openings adjacent the periphery of the wheel which may be selectively oriented beneath the associated discharge 9a or 9b for receiving a charge of the mo]- ten metal material for casting the material in the associated mold. The arrangement includesremoving devices generally designated 10 and 11 associated with casting wheels 1 and 2, respectively, which includes means such as engagement means or gripping means 21 and 20, respectively, which are only generally indicated but which move to engage each cast plate and remove it from the associated mold l2 and advance it along a conveyor 18 or 19 to move it through cooling troughs or basins l6 and 17, respectively. The casting plates have in their solidified form the outline shown at 22 in each mold 12. The removing devices 10 and 11 are operated in timed relationship to the indexing of the casting wheels I and 2 and in timed relationship to the pouring of the melt material from each of the furnaces 3 and 4 and the dosing of the material from the dosing device 8 into the trough 9. It should be appreciated that the casting wheels I and 2 may be equipped with either identical or with different casting molds 12. Each of the casting wheels l and 2 is built in the manner of a caroussel and it includes a king bolt 13 forming the vertical pivotal axis and a roller bearing, not shown, on the circumference l4 ofeach of the wheels land 2.

In accordance with a feature of the invention as shown particularly in FIG. 2, the dosing device generally designated 8 in cludes a vessel 23 having a refractory lining and a pouring opening or discharge 8a. The copper melt 24 is fed from the trough 6 or 5 into the dosing device 8 and it is delivered by hydraulic or pneumatic pressure from the dosing device 8 through the discharge into the tilting trough 9. The trough 9 is centrally mounted on pivot pins 25 and 26 in a tilting frame 27 which is mounted on a partition or on a floor level 35. In accordance with a feature of the invention, selected tilting of the trough 8 from one side to the other so as to direct the melt downwardly toward either the discharge 9a or the discharge 9b into the associated molds of the casting wheel 1. For this purpose, there is provided a tilting drive generally designated 28 on each side of the pivots 26 and 25 and each drive 28 includes a fluid pressure cylinder 28a and a piston 30 which is movable in the cylinder. The piston 30 is connected at 30a to the bottom of the trough 9 at a location to permit easy tilting movement about the associated axes of the pivots 25 and 26.

The dosing device 8 which carries the copper melt 24 rests on the weighing bridge 31. The weighing bridge 31 includes one end 32 which rests on a fluid gauge chamber 3h. The opposite end 32 is provided with a bracket 32a which is pivotally mounted on an upstanding bearing block M on the floor 35. The fluid gauge device 36 operates as a pressure gauge but it is also possible to provide a strictly mechanical type indicator which includes a pointer and a dial 54) for indicating the melt content in the vessel ti visually. The device 36 is connected to a suitable control 52 for driving a tilt motor 5d which is connected to an associated furnace 3 or ll for the purpose of tilting the furnace to discharge the melt therefrom. The control may be alternatively or additionally connected to a regulating device 56 for controlling the size of the opening of the whole apertures a of the regulating device 115 each furnace. The dosing device is positioned so that the center of gravity thereof is at the same point of the weighing platform 31 at each time so that different weight differences can be readily measured.

in accordance with a further feature of the invention, the vessel 23 is advantageously provided with a wall 23a having means therein (not shown) for controlling the temperature of the melt such as by heating or cooling.

We claim:

1. An apparatus for the production of metal plates particularly for the production of a large number of copper anode plates, comprising a plurality of rotatable casting wheels arranged adjacent each other, a delivery trough having a discharge end oriented over each casting wheel, said casting wheels each having plate form molds with melt receiving inlets distributed around a marginal area adjacent the periphery thereof and located below an associated one of said discharge openings of said trough, means for rotating said casting wheels to present each mold in succession with its opening adjacent the discharge of said trough and to move each mold after filling away from said discharge, dosing means for delivering a selected dosing quantity of melt to said trough, and means for moving said trough to deflect the melt thereon in a direction towards a discharge oriented above a mold cavity ina casting wheel which is to be filled, said casting wheels adapted to be indexed so as to advance the wheels which are not being filled as the wheel having a mold cavity which is being filled is held stationary.

2. An apparatus, according to claim ll, wherein there are at least two spaced apart casting wheels said trough extending between said wheels, .means for pivotally mounting said trough, and means for tilting said trough to orient the trough so that the melt flows to a selected discharge at the end thereof and into the casting wheel which is stopped in a position so that the inlet to the mold is below the associated discharge of the trough.

3. An apparatus, according to claim ll, wherein said dosing means for delivering a. selected dosing quantity to said trough includes a dosing vessel adapted to hold a melt therein, weighing means supporting said vessel and indicating the weight of the melt therein, said dosing vessel having a discharge orientable over said trough and at least one smelting furnace connected to said dosing device for supplying said device with melted material.

4. An apparatus, according to claim 3, wherein said smelting furnace comprises a hearth type furnace having a cap aperture, and means associated with said aperture for regulating the opening thereof in dependence on the amount of melt in said dosingdevice and to be delivered to said dosing device.

5. An apparatus, according to claim 3, including a smelting furnace in the form of a tilting furnace, means mounting said furnace to permit tilting thereof for the discharge of a melt therefrom, and motor driving means connected to said furnace for tilting said furnace in order to supply melt to said dosing device.

6. An apparatus, according to claim. 5, including means for weighing said dosing vessel and the material therein, said means being connected to said tilting drive for said furnace for pivoting said furnace to discharge a quantity of melt in accordance with the requirements of said weighin device.

'7. An apparatus, according. to claim ll, mclu mg a plurality of furnaces connected to discharge into said trough, said dos ing means in the connection between said furnaces and said trough for regulating the quantity of melt material delivered from said furnaces to said trough.

8. An apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein there are only tow spaced apart rotatable casting wheels, said trough being centrally pivotally supported between said wheels, the discharge at each end being oriented over an associated one of said wheels, and means connected to said trough to pivot said trough about its pivotal mounting in order to permit the selected run off of melt in a selected direction toward a selected discharge. 

1. An appAratus for the production of metal plates particularly for the production of a large number of copper anode plates, comprising a plurality of rotatable casting wheels arranged adjacent each other, a delivery trough having a discharge end oriented over each casting wheel, said casting wheels each having plate form molds with melt receiving inlets distributed around a marginal area adjacent the periphery thereof and located below an associated one of said discharge openings of said trough, means for rotating said casting wheels to present each mold in succession with its opening adjacent the discharge of said trough and to move each mold after filling away from said discharge, dosing means for delivering a selected dosing quantity of melt to said trough, and means for moving said trough to deflect the melt thereon in a direction towards a discharge oriented above a mold cavity in a casting wheel which is to be filled, said casting wheels adapted to be indexed so as to advance the wheels which are not being filled as the wheel having a mold cavity which is being filled is held stationary.
 2. An apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein there are at least two spaced apart casting wheels said trough extending between said wheels, means for pivotally mounting said trough, and means for tilting said trough to orient the trough so that the melt flows to a selected discharge at the end thereof and into the casting wheel which is stopped in a position so that the inlet to the mold is below the associated discharge of the trough.
 3. An apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein said dosing means for delivering a selected dosing quantity to said trough includes a dosing vessel adapted to hold a melt therein, weighing means supporting said vessel and indicating the weight of the melt therein, said dosing vessel having a discharge orientable over said trough and at least one smelting furnace connected to said dosing device for supplying said device with melted material.
 4. An apparatus, according to claim 3, wherein said smelting furnace comprises a hearth type furnace having a cap aperture, and means associated with said aperture for regulating the opening thereof in dependence on the amount of melt in said dosing device and to be delivered to said dosing device.
 5. An apparatus, according to claim 3, including a smelting furnace in the form of a tilting furnace, means mounting said furnace to permit tilting thereof for the discharge of a melt therefrom, and motor driving means connected to said furnace for tilting said furnace in order to supply melt to said dosing device.
 6. An apparatus, according to claim 5, including means for weighing said dosing vessel and the material therein, said means being connected to said tilting drive for said furnace for pivoting said furnace to discharge a quantity of melt in accordance with the requirements of said weighing device.
 7. An apparatus, according to claim 1, including a plurality of furnaces connected to discharge into said trough, said dosing means in the connection between said furnaces and said trough for regulating the quantity of melt material delivered from said furnaces to said trough.
 8. An apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein there are only two spaced apart rotatable casting wheels, said trough being centrally pivotally supported between said wheels, the discharge at each end being oriented over an associated one of said wheels, and means connected to said trough to pivot said trough about its pivotal mounting in order to permit the selected run off of melt in a selected direction toward a selected discharge. 